Abdomen deflection is one of the critical elements taken into consideration when assessing the side impact performance of a motor vehicle. There are generally two accepted options for reducing abdomen deflection resulting from a side impact. The first option is to make modifications to the body structures. This can be done by increasing body side reinforcement, pillar reinforcement and/or adding or increasing the strength of an intrusion beam in the door of the motor vehicle. All such modifications to body structure add significant cost and have significant weight implications that have an adverse effect upon the fuel economy of the motor vehicle.
The second option to improve side impact performance of the motor vehicle relates to the management of energy absorption through the interior door trim panel. This can be achieved with negligible cost and weight penalties to the motor vehicle. Armrest design is a particularly important aspect of this second option.
This document relates to a new and improved armrest assembly that has been engineered through the incorporation of one or more deformation initiating features, one or more deformation propagating features, one or more fracture initiating features and a cooperating crushable space to allow maximum energy absorption during side impact by controlling the timing, location and shape of the deformation. Advantageously, the armrest assembly effectively lowers the peak force and distributes the force from a side impact over a longer timeframe, thereby improving safety.